A message from United For Newcastle.

United We Stand.I received this message from United For Newcastle not so long ago and was asked whether or not I would put it up in an article.

Why not I thought? After all, I agree in principle with what the motion is trying to achieve. Time will tell whether or not it is successful or not, but the campaign has been gathering pace and has attracted the attention Sky Sports News, Radio 5 Live and BBC Newcastle and has the eventual goal of improving the ownership of Newcastle United.

These guys seem infinitely more reasonable than the laughable NUST and have a less ‘gung-ho’ approach whilst being active in trying to improve things at our beloved club. They were formed from the fallout of the Chris Hughton sacking and have been vocal on areas of contention since then, with the latest area of contention being the proposed change to seating arrangements within the ground. Here goes.

United for Newcastle appreciate that a ten-year “price freeze” on season tickets and the introduction of a discount scheme will benefit a lot of Newcastle supporters. In this tough economic climate, fans will be thankful of discounts and price freezes, and as such we welcome this move.

However, alongside the ten-year price freeze, the club have also announced a change to the seating plans at the stadium, with the most-talked about one being the changes to Level 7 of the Leazes End, and transforming it into part of an enlarged family area.

United for Newcastle feel that by breaking up the fans in Level 7 of the Leazes End, the hierarchy at the club has shown a significant lack of consideration towards some of the loudest, and most passionate supporters in the stadium.

This, alongside the fact that the generally quieter family section will now replace the fans in Level 7, shows just how poorly thought out this decision this is. Let’s not forget that it was under Ashley’s ownership that the club announced “the Leazes Corner, is for fans who are willing to sing and generate a generally very noisy atmosphere.” Scrapping this ‘singing corner’ will, we believe, be of detrimental effect to the atmosphere within St. James Park.

“United for Newcastle also ask where fans from Level 7 will be expected to go? We understand that there are no plans to relocate the ‘singing section’ therefore; will the club suggest a new location for the singing section? These are questions fans are asking, and want answers for.”

The new plans also include the proposal for the away support allocation to increase from 2,800 to 4,000 seats. Just how many clubs visiting St James’ sell out their current allocation, let alone 4,000 tickets? Considering that it is only in crunch-ties and against large clubs that the away allocation seems to sell out, United for Newcastle are concerned that allowing fewer Newcastle fans into the stadium in these important matches will have a detrimental impact on the players on the pitch, who rely on the fans’ fantastic support.

United for Newcastle will thus write an open letter to the club and local journalists urging talks between the administration at Newcastle United and supporters, particularly those who will lose their seats in the Level 7 section of the Leazes End. We hope that the club will match our expectations by – if not reconsidering the move – to suggest a suitable replacement for the singing section (with some already suggesting Level 4 of the Leazes End as a possible replacement).

This is an issue that we hope can be solved quickly and efficiently for the benefit of both the club, and its supporters.

To be fair it’s something I wrote about the other day. I said that ten-year fix was a good deal, but I also stressed that I wasn’t to happy about the way the seating plan was to be changed. I know I’m not alone on that front either!

You can follow United For Newcastle on Twitter or you can become a fan on Facebook by clicking those underlined words where you can keep in touch with how they are progressing.

Any questions you have, please feel free to ask them. I am sure they will be answered. Do you agree? Do you disagree?

Is the section for away fans ‘permanently’ going to be that big, or can we sell the seats as more ‘family’ seats depending on how many tickets away fans take up? If you get what I mean?

This would make sense I guess, the family section from what I hear has been a success, so if the away team wants more tickets, they’re there, but if they don’t, we’ll sell the seat as ‘family’ seats at family prices.

lol Toonsy – but he does live 2 doors down so think he was testing his new toy!

I for one am very underwhelmed but frankly I am happy to have another body in. He isnt going to start as many have said and if he can rough up the defenders then fine. Also as others have said it is more about ensuring theres a little competition for places. As we have seen with Williamson you can let standards drop if theres noone pushing you. I was happy with how Ranger played against the arses and wouldve loved his step inside and let fly wouldve nesttled in the top corner.

I am still hoping this brazilian may choose us too but if not so be it. Airey will no doubt get some game time when he gets back to fitness, and I for one want us to play 4-2-3-1 anyway, so the lack of strikers doesnt bother me one bit. For me it is more of a 6 week stopgap until Ireland is back in full flow and Benny boy is around the corner. These 2 flanking Ranger/Best is the way forward for me with Tiote/Barton/Nolan a bit deeper

That’s it Raffo. There is not a cat in hells chance that Kuqi is going to play, so what’s the problem that people have? It’s not like he’s been signed on a five year deal and been given the number nine shirt like 😆

I don’t get the issue with having the family area next to the away fans, what they going to do like, smash the place up, throw seats off 7yr olds with their mam’s?

You already consider the language they might hear before you go, no matter where they sit, so nah, don’t see it being a problem.

You never know this may have been advised by the police to stop something happening like what happened at the stadium of shite. No raggie teenagers itching to windmill through 3000 people, no trouble. Until they get outside that is.

Agree with you there Toonsy. It’s not necessarily the bad language, but the vitrol that will be hurled at them. Kids won’t understand.
Plus the family sections are always in the “safer” parts of the ground. The old family enclosure wasnt next to the corner. But it was near the away fans actually. Hmm perhaps it could work.

Raffo kenny bought surez and Carroll with the torres money.
He knew torres was going and got his replacements.
We pocketed the cash and waited for free agents to arrive.
Another spin on the ashley revolver.

I get what you’re saying, and it’s perfectly logical, got a few friends who are teachers and when they have to take kids out of school they have to do massive risk assessments for the most petty of things. I actually agree with what you’re saying, why even risk it? However I still feel the need to argue that with risk, it is always calculated, not just ‘don’t even risk it’.

You say, “is there more chance of something happening near the away fans?” Yep

I say, is there less chance of somthing happening with families next to the away fans? Yep

They have obviously calculated that the risk and believe it is minimal and so they have gone with it I guess.

Micky Toon
Posted February 10, 2011 at 2:06 PM
Raffo kenny bought surez and Carroll with the torres money.
He knew torres was going and got his replacements.
We pocketed the cash and waited for free agents to arrive.
Another spin on the ashley revolver.

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I read an interview with John Henry (new LPool owner) yesterday. He said they had AC identified as their #1 target for the summer. When Torres handed in the transfer request, Lpool told Chelsea they would only sell him if they could get AC now and would want as a fee whatever AC was going to cost plus 15M. Chelsea then accpeted the offer and Newcastle held out for 35M, essentially squeezing Chelsea. We should have made a similar demand that sale was contingent on somebdy else coming in…

Ah, who cares how AC went? He’s gone, and I think if he doesn’t already regret it he soon will.

Here and now, we’ve got enough to stay up, and a good point has been made about the comparison with the Sibi situation, so let’s wait and see. Many have been screaming for chances for the younguns; let’s see if they were right.

The stadium thing is tricky, and I think it’s another Owl-heed clanger the way it’s been dealt with. They should have engaged with the singing section crowd right through the planning, not just screwed them and waited for the backlash.

It’s retrievable, though. All they need is to make sure there’s a way for the Ultras etc. to re-group elsewhere. It’s a good idea to extend the family section, and apart from the smell/language I think the reduction of risk by putting families by the away section is worth it. I can’t see any sprogs getting a beer can in the head, but I can see how it could prevent some nastiness developing. There will be quite a distance and two rows of stewards in between anyway.

What I was actually referring to was how the cesspool didnt let woy do anything but Kenny was allowed to sell a player and invest the cash, yet he is lauded as a genius and woy is a plum.

I am glad Judas has gone and we can use the money wisely while we laugh at the plums who will see 20 games a season from the woodgate mark 2. His injury is worse than we thought I would wager and this only sweetens the £35 million for my mind.

Raffo – I did wonder if we had a Woodgate scenario and the club knew it. It’s not beyond imagination that that Swedish chap was well-paid to reveal certain facts only to certain parties.

I’m still gutted that AC has gone, and furious with Owl Heed in particular for letting it happen. I get the distinct impression that AP’s not exactly chuffed about it either but it was part of his ‘unofficial terms of employment’ that he has to just take this shite and shut up.

However, he is gone, he is crocked, and nobody’s benefited except his agent. Next….

I admire the optimistic ‘open letter’ to the club. I really can’t imagine Ashley could give a stuff to be honest. We are talking about a man here who doesn’t feel normal human being pressures whatsoever and will have a burning dislike for a relative small sectiction which he himself created that now chants hatred towards him. How dare they? 😉 He is the owner and chief don’t you know. 😕